Last spring, with the help of Councillors Helen Dyke, Fran Oborski, Mike Price and local Lib Dems, I wrote a 5000 word document of wishes to improve Kidderminster. Doubtless we won’t be credited, but it looks as though some of these are to be brought to fruition.
For me, the one that excited me most was the creation of a light rail shuttle between Bewdley and Kidderminster, using the Severn Valley Railway and stopping at the old halt at Foley Park. It turns out, I discovered, that the local Heatlh Concern councillors had thought the same about five years ago and spent £25,000 on a report into the idea. Sadly, the report suggested the idea was completely unviable.
However, times change, trains are in and having spoken with the Severn Valley Railway General Manager, Nick Ralls, we are of one mind. The redevelopment of the Sugar Beet refinery will provide space for 3000 jobs but with dreadful transport links. Foley Park station would transform that.
Yours truly with MEP Liz Lynne, John Parry, Kate Whittle of Lightweight Community Transport with the Parry PPM50
In addition, I visited Parry People Movers of Cradley with Lib Dem MEP, Liz Lynne. Parry’s and SVR have tried working together before, without success. Yet Parry have now received the first National Rail commission for their flywheel driven 60 passenger tram/trains. The light and very green Parry People Movers (running on a Ford Focus LPG engine) will soon replace the old diesels on the Stourbridge Junction spur line,
So, Liz and I will now start seeking ways to make this project viable, increasing SVR business, adding status to Kidderminster Mainline, improving Stourport Road’s business prospects, giving Bewdley better connections, reducing traffic between Bewdley and Kidderminster and on the Stourport Road bottleneck.
The pieces are all there – including a desire for the SVR to open a diesel shed at the Sugar Beet site and a small freight railhead on the sidings (another suggestion in my original document). Let’s just hope our local politicians will run with the idea and make it happen.
Who knows, increased passenger numbers might persuade Chiltern Trains to run an hourly service from Kidderminster to London as originally planned; improving the town’s connections and business prospects. It’s this kind of joined-up thinking we really need here.
Neville Farmer
November 18, 2008 at 8:38 pm
Parry People Movers should move their office to the sugar beet site when it is developed. What a brilliant way to showcase their product.
November 18, 2008 at 9:00 pm
It would be great, especially if it brought jobs to Kidderminster, but Parry are devoted to Cradley. Also, as it stands, Parry have finally got their first National Rail commission on the Stourbridge spur line, so that’s their showcase for now.
SVR still have to be convinced about the viability of the Parry system, partly because the SVR lines are rather old and need a different type of wheelbase. But Parry reckon they could do it by tram-training two of their 60 capacity units together to create a “bogey” style of wheel arrangement.
SVR are more keen on using their heritage diesel units, which, though not very green are already owned by them. They have also put in planning permission for a diesel workshop at Foley Park and want to open a freight head on the sidings, so they’re being very pro-active.
We just have to see what the developers submit to council next month for the Sugar Beet site.
The other issue is finding suitable car-parking facilities in Bewdley. The current station car park can’t handle tourist cars and commuters. Ideas, please, Tav?
Neville Farmer